To be honest, I've never given it much thought while riding. There are very few instances where I can see another vehicle for long enough on a straight enough intersecting road to make any useful predictions. Plus most drivers speed and slow down randomly and or rapidly, you really never know WHAT the hell they are up to.

You can pull my driving record to see at any given time my speed will fluctuate 20+mph. My theory on predictions of other people is assume they will never notice me and are liable to drive into me at any point. Sadly I follow that same belief in my lifted Jeep Wrangler, and even more depressing, I get hit MORE in the jeep than I do on the bike. :( Amazing how a giant black jeep is invisible when it's in a parking lot or at a red light. (been hit at least 10-15 times in parking lots)

Hello Fellow Riders:
I am new to this Forum but not to motorcycling. (71 Years of age and 53 years of motorcycling).
One vital lesson (inter alia) I have learnt and yet to see mentioned is the relative angle between vehicles at intersections/cross-roads, particularly rural roads crossing a highway. On a Highway, as you approach a crossing rural/secondary/county road: -
CHECK THE ANGLE BETWEEN YOU AND ANY APPROACHING VEHICLE ON THE RURAL ROAD.IF THE ANGLE DOES NOT CHANGE YOU WILL ARRIVE AT THE INTERSECTION AT THE SAME TIME.

You are dead bang wrong, here fellow. You are on a fixed roadway so the angles NEVER change. What varies is apparent SPEED.

If the apparent speed of the other is faster than you, then you will pass behind him. Slower and you will pass in front of him. If there is NO or little difference in apparent speed, you will CRASH.

I'm amazed you are still alive old timer but also wonder if others who you've advised are doing as well.

Stay away from groups of cars..pull over and let those stacked up behind you pass...don't follow too closely any groups of cars stacked up in front..All the hotheads are travelling in those packs..this method has saved my ass many times...I think instructors say to ride in the bubble between traffic?

You are dead bang wrong, here fellow. You are on a fixed roadway so the angles NEVER change. What varies is apparent SPEED.

If the apparent speed of the other is faster than you, then you will pass behind him. (The relative angle will become more acute) Slower and you will pass in front of him. (The relative angle will become less acute) If there is NO or little difference in apparent speed, you will CRASH. (The relative angle remains the same)

I'm amazed you are still alive old timer but also wonder if others who you've advised are doing as well.

To exercise this technique you need at least one eye. Maybe that is your problem?

If I am "dead bang wrong" how come I am alive, saved by this oberservation on more than one occasion, and contributing to this thread? (Contributing from the grave perhaps?)

__________________
Ahboon
"There is no joy in arrival, but there is in JOurneY!"

To exercise this technique you need at least one eye. Maybe that is your problem?

If I am "dead bang wrong" how come I am alive, saved by this oberservation on more than one occasion, and contributing to this thread? (Contributing from the grave perhaps?)

Doesn't look like you need any help, but: the only reason I don't put slide on the ignore list; some of the shit he says is............well..........entertaining.
Welcome to the site, I'm 65 in two weeks.

I'm doing some research on what would be more helpful to know at a person’s start in motorcycling versus learning it over years in the "school of hard knocks".

Things like..."Don't transport a bike on the centerstand. It might break the frame". or "Standing up on the pegs or at least putting more pressure on them makes the bike less top heavy and better to control at low speed".

Could you help my research by answering the following question...”What did you wish someone told you about motorcycling when you first started out?”

Thanks. Mark Tillack
Brinkhaven, OH(USA)

I am still working my way through this thread, so please forgive me if it has been said before: -

Along with other techniques, when riding a gravel road (especially loose gravel) I tend to use higher RPM (lower gear) than I would on a hard surface. The gyroscopic effect of the crankshaft/rotating mass tends to stabilise the bike indepenently from the tyre contact.
The bike will still tend to move around a bit but will feel and be a lot more stable.

P.S. This works on a lateral crankshaft configuration. I have limited experience with a longitudinal crankshaft configuration in the loose but the result may be similar. Any R/K series BMW riders out there may be able to add their experience.

__________________
Ahboon
"There is no joy in arrival, but there is in JOurneY!"

Doesn't look like you need any help, but: the only reason I don't put slide on the ignore list; some of the shit he says is............well..........entertaining.
Welcome to the site, I'm 65 in two weeks.

Happy Birthday and thanks for the welcome. You will see from my next post that I am not put off by Slide (or anyone else).
Maybe we become more pragmatic (thicker skinned) as we get older.

BTW, make a point to celebrate each and every birthday: they are good for your health.
(The more you have, the longer you live)

Cheers

__________________
Ahboon
"There is no joy in arrival, but there is in JOurneY!"

You are dead bang wrong, here fellow. You are on a fixed roadway so the angles NEVER change. What varies is apparent SPEED.

If the apparent speed of the other is faster than you, then you will pass behind him. Slower and you will pass in front of him. If there is NO or little difference in apparent speed, you will CRASH.

I'm amazed you are still alive old timer but also wonder if others who you've advised are doing as well.

You managed to describe this in a way that was more confusing than the original. But you are describing (badly) the same thing. The first guy was right, he just didn't fully explain that the "angle" he was describing was the relative bearing of the other vehicle.

The technique described is called "Constant Bearing, Decreasing Range".

If you point your finger at the other guy and you don't have to move your arm to stay on him, then you're going to hit if nothing changes. If your arm moves towards the front of your bike, he's going to pass ahead of you. If your arm moves towards the back, he's going to pass behind you.

The only time this isn't true is if they are running parallel with you or going away (in which case who cares, you're not going to crash into them).